And Then I Met You
by LampliteSunshine
Summary: Mamimi makes a sudden apearence back in Naota's life. What happenes now? A lot aparently, but its normal cause 'nothing ever happens here' Romance/humor/drama
1. Mamimi

Disclaimer: I do not own Furi Kuri, sadly. If I did I'd be quite happy.

Summery: What if Haruko and Mamimi came back?

Authors Notes: My first Furi Kuri fic. I'm calling the two boys that are friends with Naota, Gaku (the hyper one with glasses that overreacts all the time) and Matsu (the other one). Oh and you'll just have to wait and see what the pairing is. Its....a surprise. And its suposed to confuse you...so don't guess.......uh, what else, this isn't a one shot story...oh and Eri is Ninamori's first name, that is all ^.^

  
  


**"**And Then I Met You**" **

Chapter one

Mamimi

  
  
  
  


**By : SNOW...........................**

"Naota! Hey Naota! Wake up!" I grumbled lightly in my sleep. I was hearing things again.

  
  


"Naota-kun!? Naaoooootaaaaaaa! Hellooooo! Wake up you lazy bum!" I rolled over. Those imaginary voices were persistent.

  
  


"Naota, Naota, Naota, Naota, Naota, Naota, Naota," And it was begining to get on my nerves. I grumbled again. 

  
  


"Naota, Naota, NAOTA-KUN!" "ALRIGHT ALREADY!!" I shot up and fell right off the bed. I blinked and rummbed my head looking around. No one was there. I had a feeling I was turning mental.

  
  


"Hey! Are you up yet!" Or maybe not. I got up and looked out the window. Eri Ninamori, Gaku and Matsu were standing outside the bread shop looking impatient. "Are you comin with us or what?" Matsu asked. 

  
  


I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "For what?" Gaku looked offended. "For what! We got a part time job, you idiot! Did you forget already?" Oh yeah. That. "Uh, no, just a sec I'll be down in a minute." I ran from the window but still caught Eri's coment. "Why should we wait a second if he'll be down in a minute?"

  
  


*~*

  
  


I ran outside with a piece of toast and we all headed down to the river side for the truck. Gaku's dad got a new one.

  
  


It had been three years since then. Since the truck was eaten by 'Ta-kun' and the city was left in near ruins. That was when Haruko and Mamimi left. Things weren't the same. 

  
  


"We've gota drop off the big stuff first. Who does the television go to Ninamori?"

  
  


I started going by Naota. No one called me Ta-kun anymore. That was too much of a reminder. That I hadn't heard from Haruko and that Mamimi stopped writing last year.

  
  


"Mr. Harikotsu at the electronics store. He's about a mile from here."

  
  


Though Mamimi never actually wrote, she used to send pictures. Now I don't know where she is. Her pictures stopped showing up in local magazines, the reporters couldn't get interviews any more. But the last photos she sent were post marked America.

  
  


I sat against the edge of the truck looking out toward the water. We came up by the bridge. That bridge, that Haruko ran over me on. She was really weird. Like my weird older house keeper.

  
  


Eri handed Gaku the clipboard and walked over to my side of the truck, sitting down. I watched her pull her legs up to her chest and rest her arms on her knees. "So what are you thinking?" I made no expression, shrugging out of habbit. "Nothing imparticular. Just stuff."

  
  


She gave me that knowing look. That Ninamori You-can't-fool-me stare. "You were looking at the bridge." She knew she had me. I rolled my eyes. "Why do you ask, if you allready know?" She shrugged, tucking back a strand of violet hair and looking ahead. She'd grown it back out after sixth grade. After the whole ordeal.

  
  


"You know we're gona go get taco's after the rout. They have a new fast food place down the road. Across the bridge. It's pretty cool." The tone of her voice made me look at her. She wasn't so sure of herself right now. Not the regular un-wavered Eri. "So do you wana come? Go with us to check it out. They wouldn't have too spicy food."

  
  


That wasn't much of a lie. Taco's had plenty of spicy stuff. I hate spicy stuff. But she still was looking across the river. She wouldn't look at me. I had a feeling she really wanted me to come this time. I never did. She always asked. "Yeah, sure. I'll come." Her eyes sort of lit up and she bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling too much and looked at me. "Great." 

  
  


I guess I could stand some spice.

  
  


*~*

  
  


In the afternoon we went back to the bread shop. Gaku had to go somewhere, but Matsu and Ninamori stayed with me. It was my shift to work at the counter, but no one really came in the afternoon's so we talked for hours. It was fun being with them. We made eachother laugh.

  
  


At about five Gaku left for dinner, and Ninamori stayed for another thirty minutes before her parents called. Then she left too. I didn't get off till nine. No one would come, but I had to stay put until we closed the store in the evening. 

  
  


I leaned my cheek on the palm of my hand and stared aimlessly at the bread display. Dad was still selling that day old bread. Day old spicy bread. The kind that Mamimi bought.

  
  


Everything would remind me of them. One or the other, and then you couldn't think of just one. They were accociated together, becaue they left around the same time. And they were what changed my life the most.

  
  


Before I met Mamimi, things were different. At one time everyone was happy. That was the time a year before Haruko came. When Tasuka was still here. Mamimi was about as avid with that camera then, but surprisingly, she'd only taken one picture of the three of us. 

  
  


It was at a funny angle, like all Mamimi's pictures, Onichan was on the left, Mamimi beside him, and me in the front smiling like an idiot and making the victory sign. Mamimi's arm was reached out, like she was trying to take it while standing there. Good old Mamimi, never lets anyone touch her camera.

  
  


Tasuka didn't write much either. I hadn't really heard from him in a while. Dad didn't really care, and Grandpa was too absorbed in other things. 

  
  


When Haruko left, she just faded away. That's what happens sometimes. I told her I loved her. Pronounced it right there in front of who ever. And then she left. She said I was still a kid, and she was right. I still am just a kid. Love is too complicated kids to get. It's too complicated for anyone, but some people still seem to manage.

  
  


It made me wonder about how Mamimi felt. I realized that I let her down. I'd promise to stay by her side. But I gave up on her because I was jelous. And she left without spite toward me; I still felt awful.

  
  


It was getting darker. I looked to the dusty clock in the corner which read eight-fifty-five. I sighed and got up, grabbing a broom. I had to sweep up before we closed. I'd end up closing up too, cause dad wouldn't be back till late. Who knew where he was.

  
  


"Hello?"

  
  


I was a little startled by a voice, but kept sweeping. "We're closing soon, come back tomorrow at eight." I didn't hear the person leave. Though I hadn't heard them walk in to begin with, so I could just be suffering from headphone hearing loss.

  
  


"Naota?"

  
  


A person who knew my name?

  
  


"Ta-kun."

  
  


No one called me Ta-kun anymore, but- 

  
  


I turned around almost hesitantly.

  
  


"Mamimi..."

  
  


@ @ @

first chap. Any good? let me know ^.~

~SNOW


	2. Atimy

**Disclaimer:** ...don't own furi kuri....;.; it's so tragic lol

**Authors Notes:** ^.^ thank you wonderful pple! I got many reviews and am happy. Now don't let any of the chapters fool you, no matter what happens, my fic is going to be as unpredictable as the show, there's no telling what the pairing is. (Not even i know ^.^;;) but don't try to persuade me! I'm trying not to be biased!

  
  


**"**And Then I Met You**" **

chapter two

Atimy

  
  


"Mamimi..."

  
  


I couldn't move, couldn't speak. Shock was a vast understatement for what I was feeling right now. She'd been gone so long, but from appearances she'd barely changed.

  
  


She wasn't tall, a lot shorter than I remembered, but that was probably because I had grown. Her hair was longer, about mid back though her eyes were still the same. 

  
  


She was wearing a tee shirt with dark cuffs at the end of the sleeves, and on the front it had an oval with a picture of a large building. Her shoes were brown sandals and she was wearing jean shorts. That camera was still around her neck.

  
  


I shook my head mentally. I didn't know what else to say. She was staring at me with that wide hopeful expression, but as I watched her it softened. 

  
  


"It's been awhile, Ta-kun."

  
  


She smiled in a very genuine Mamimi like way, and it clicked that she was actually here. 

  
  


"Yeah," I muttered dumbly. I swallowed and looked at her so confused. "Where did you go..?" She tilted her head to the side. "The world," she said simply, and smiled again. "To find what I was missing." Strange answers; a Mamimi trait. 

  
  


I took a deep breath, releasing it slowly, like some part of me believed that I was really dreaming, and breathing too much would cause me to wake up.

  
  


"I learned some things." she added, bringing me back to attention. "And realized others." The way she finished was a dreamy way. In the airy tiered voice that Mamimi possessed. Something I'd taken for granted once.

  
  


I dropped the broom and barely noticed its clash to the floor, walking up to Mamimi standing in the doorway, to fins that I was an inch taller. Amazing.

  
  


Mamimi looked up slightly. "You're taller Ta-kun." She smiled, closing her eyes like she was savoring the moment, with an expression of pure joy. She tilted her head down and leaned against me with a soft embrace. It sort of shocked me at first but eventually, hesitantly, I put my arms around her too, not really knowing how to respond.

  
  


"I missed you Ta-kun." she mumbled into my shirt, rubbing her nose in it. I blushed lightly, but not like before. When we were younger, she always did this. I expected it, but having it gone all these years, I'd figured out something myself. 

  
  


Mamimi needed affection; love. Like every normal human being. But she and her family had disagreements. She didn't get any appreciation or recognition from them. So she sought it out in others. Like my brother, and me...and of course that dumb cat.

  
  


I only figured this out, because I suffered the same way she did. Once she left, everything became sort of empty. And I realized that I missed her. "Me too." I said closing my eyes. She smiled against me; and suddenly went slack.

  
  


My eyebrows drew together as I opened my eyes and looked down. She was asleep. I coughed. "Only Mamimi..." I muttered, and let her fall into my arms. I picked her up and carried her into the main part of the bakery where we lived, heading toward the couch. 

  
  


It wasn't that I was particularly strong to pick her up as much as it was, she was pretty light. I dropped her on the couch carefully and stood back thoughtfully.

  
  


She was _fast_ asleep. I shook my head. She must have come a long way to be so tierd. I wondered vaugly if her parents knew she was back. 

  
  


Acting upon that thought, I headed toward the kitchen. I picked up the very cordless ID reciever we had and searched the letter S. Seigema Mamimi. Dad never cleaned out the old numbers. There was her cell number and her home number. 

  
  


I thought grimly about the fate of her cell phone as I called her house. I'd never actually called her home number before. It rang a few times before someone picked up. 

  
  


"Hello?!" They sounded agitated. 

  
  


"Uh, Hi this is Naota Nandaba, Mamimi's friend, are you her father?" There was a pause and a shuffle on the other end. 

  
  


"Mamimi? Mamimi doesn't live here anymore, and why would you want to know?! Hey shut up and leave the television alone!" The man was having an argument on the other end.

  
  


"Um, well I thought you might like to know that she is over here, and is-"

  
  


"Good, maybe she'll stay there. Don't send her home!" And with that he hung up. I held the receiver in my hand staring at it. "What a jack ass." No wonder Mamimi never seemed to go home. I looked over into the other room where she slept. Grandpa wouldn't be happy to find her there, whenever he decided to venture down.

  
  


Sighing in decision I went back into the front and locked the store before going back to move Mamimi. She could sleep in my room, and I could sleep on the couch...at least until I told dad and grandpa.

  
  


~*~

  
  


The next morning went...unexpectedly.

  
  


"NAOTA!! What is that girl doing in our house!!!!!"

  
  


Not as..._smoothly_ as planned.

  
  


"She let the robot eat my cereal!!! Off the sausage! Off the sausage!"

  
  


Maybe a little, eccentric.

  
  


"Dad, YOU gave Canti the cereal! And you _Hate_ sausage!" "But its Kamon's sausage, and he needs it for that _toilet_ experiment!"

  
  


Or, weird.

  
  


"Yes, that article on mutated sewer sausage will be gold! Your grandfather agree's, but Mamimi cant help so she can't eat the cereal."

  
  


...Okay so it was down right insane.

  
  


"She didn't _Have _the cereal, Grandpa's eating the sausage, and Mamimi hasn't waken up yet!!!!"

  
  


Complete, utter lunacy.

  
  


I panted from my long winded argument. Geez, after this long you'd think they'd have enough decency to yell while she's even in the room.

  
  


Dad suddenly regained his composure. "Well Naota, it seems you have some truth to your argument," He was watching grandpa and Canti eat his sausage and cereal. "How about all." I retorted, staring plainly. He tilted his neck and scratched his head.

  
  


"Ah, yes well; What is she doing in your room anyway?! What were you doing in there huh, huh, HUH??!" It was really starting to be pathetic. Dads constant interrogation for a scandal. It was hard to believe that we were related.

  
  


I glared dully. "In case you _hadn't_ noticed, I was sleeping on the couch." He looked like he was thinking about this. "She kicked you out?" My face dropped in disbelief. I had to be switched at birth. "Unbelievable." I muttered, and turned abruptly to stomp toward the stairs.

  
  


Kamon was still confused. "Does that mean she did? Naota-kun? Naota-kun?!"

  
  


I ignored him and continued to walk toward my room. He wouldn't come up to pester me, I was pretty confident of that. He wanted to avoid any conflict with Mamimi herself. As I reached my door I sighed. She's not even conscious and they're already jumping down my throat.

  
  


I walked into the room and looked across it to my bed. Just as I'd told them all, Mamimi was still sleeping. Miyu-miyu was sitting on the bed next to her in a round little ball, and purring softly as I closed the door and walked over to the bed side.

  
  


I stood above her watching. She looked so different while she slept, not like when she was awake. She looked more normal, and it could make you wonder if the real Mamimi was just an act, and inside she was really just like any of us. Lonely.

  
  


I realized suddenly I was watching her sleep. My cheeks grew hot. Why did they do that? It was annoying. I blinked and knelt down by the bed, resting my arms on the mattress and my chin on my arms. Her expression was very soft, but suddenly she twinged. I wondered vaguely what she was dreaming. But that was just before she opened her eyes.

  
  


In a split second, _fling_, she was staring at me. My eyes went wide and I could feel my face burning up to my ears. She didn't move but I squeaked and jumped back, blushing even more at the sound I made. Mamimi blinked several times and then smiled. "Good morning Ta-kun."

  
  


The sun spilled silently into the room through the window, reflecting off things and bringing a glow and a certain spark to Mamimi's face. Her eye's were shining, even this early, and when she'd called me Ta-kun, I was suddenly reminded. Really bad deja vu.

  
  


"Morning," I replied dumbly, sitting back still wide eyed, with my hands back behind me for support and looking a little stunned. I blinked twice and cleared away the look quickly and jumped to my feet. "Um, you fell asleep on me. I put you up here." That probably sounded dumb.

  
  


She didn't say anything, just continued to smile as Miyu-miyu got up and settled in her lap, once again purring. I suddenly noticed that I'd never really heard that cat purr before. I looked over toward the window. "I called your parents but," 

  
  


My eyes darted slightly. "They weren't home." I wasn't that good of a liar. I looked back and Mamimi was petting the cat slowly, but she'd stopped smiling. "No. They don't want _me_ home. I already know." I stared at her. She'd never been seriously blunt. I mean, like that. I couldn't remember her speaking in that way.

  
  


"Oh," was my ingenious reply. I looked at her directly and swallowed a bit. "Mamimi, you can stay here, my dad," I paused. "They've changed." That was a down right lie, but I didn't want her to have no place to go. She smiled sweetly. "It's okay Naota, I'm going soon. Shigekuni wont have time to be mad."

  
  


She called me Naota, that was the second time. I was starting to think, in these past years, she'd changed; a lot. And quite possibly grown up. But then it suddenly struck me. "Go? What do you mean, you, just got here?" I barely spit out the words in an attempt to keep from sounding desperate. But how could she leave?

  
  


Mamimi shook her head slowly. "Just out, not too far. I'm not leaving Mabase." she told me. She was being very clear and to the point. It was different. But I sighed in relief. Mamimi got up, and I stepped back slightly. She stood at my eye level and looked at me pensively. She breathed deeply with her mouth still closed.

  
  


"I missed you Ta-kun." She said that before. I wondered if she forgot, but somehow I knew she didn't. She was just repeating it, like a mantra, a comfort security. "Yeah," I muttered. "I know." Not the most sentimental answer, but often I don't think before I speak.

  
  


And we just stood there for a while, staring. It was strangely comfortable. An odd silence that said something in it's own way, only being broken when that old cat started purring again and rubbing up against Mamimi's leg. I swear that thing liked everyone better than me. 

  
  


She pet him and smiled. I blinked. "There's some breakfast downstairs. Dad and grandpa probably aren't there anymore, so they wont bother you. Canti's probably in the kitchen." I was half expecting her to jolt at the mention of Canti, or at least to spring back to a more sugar fulled energy level. But she just smiled again and looked happy.

  
  


I looked at her with my mouth slightly open, but turned back to the door. "Right." I muttered more to myself, and opened the door to a strangely quiet house. Who knew what this day would bring.

  
  


~*~

  
  


"Haha, you're wierd sometimes Ta-kun." I never thought I'd hear that, from Mamimi. 

After breakfast Mamimi said she wanted to go out. I went with her, and we ended up under the bridge.

  
  


I looked at her. I'd just made a coment on how we always came here, and wondered why. That made me weird? "No I'm not." I turned in a false pout, folding my arms over eachother. Mamimi laughed.

  
  


Under the bridge. That timeless bridge. It still looked the same as the day I last was here. Which was actually, about a week after Mamimi left. When I contemplated her departure as well as Haruko's, and decided to move on. But I guess it didn't work, cause I'm glad she'd back.

  
  


She was staring out at the water now, thinking. I dropped my arms to the side and walked closer to her. She seemed to take a deep breath. "I saw your brother." she said. I stopped. My brother? What did he have to do with anything?

  
  


"In America. I saw him." I didn't have anything to say. It was quiet for a moment as a soft brief wind blew past sweeping Mamimi's long hair off her shoulders. I looked to the ground.

  
  


"His new girl friend dumped him, but he say's its okay." I looked up in interest. Tasuka didn't tell me that. "'He's playing the field.' That's what he told me." She turned around. Her eyes were slightly shining. "I guess a lot of things partake to baseball, huh chief." I nodded and she gave me a half smile.

  
  


She blinked. "Do you know why I came back Ta-kun?" I opened my mouth to answer, but I didn't really know. She smiled. "I missed my home." Somehow I knew what she meant. Not her parents home, but here. It was here, under the bridge and, maybe with me. Since I was the only one she knew. Me and that cat, that disappeared long ago.

  
  


"I was lonely...Atimy." I blinked. Atimy? "What does that-" She smiled widely all of a sudden and stopped my question. "I think I'm here to stay." The last question forgotten, I smiled. Mamimi was back...to stay. And that was all that mattered.

  
  


@ @ @

Atimy? what's that mean you wonder? ^.^ you'll see. Okay now to all those wonderful people who reviewed me and left their email, I will be an absolutely wonderful author and send you all a free download of the entire FLCL soundtrack Addict. 

No really I'm serious, lol. So anyone who reviews and leaves their email address, I'll send the link of the download to (you need realdownload i think) it's free, fast and easy. Oh and if you get it, you've got to listen to # 18. Bran-new lovesong, with the end of this chapter, it's cool. 

Oh and thanks so much again to all those who reviewed me, especially benny, Is this really the best FLCL fic you've read? Yay! Well leave me your email so i can send you a link to the download ^.^ lol 

~SNOW


	3. Rock Bread and Sour Stuff

**Disclaimer:** ...don't own furi kuri....;.; it's so tragic lol

**Authors Notes:** .....O.o are those all **MY** reviews?...Really?....WOOHOO!!!! I **_love_**__ you people! Sorry for the delay in getting this up. I hope to get all my updates more frequent but now that this is finished, its off to write a chapter for 'Some Place Called Home', then I'll come back to this ^.~ once again, love you guys. I only got one complaint about Ninamori OOC, and I guess she is a bit, but I'm accounting for that by saying she grew up a little and developed humility and insecurities. Well on with the chapter!

  
  


**"**And Then I Met You**" **

chapter three

Rock Bread and Sour Stuff

  
  


A week and many more sausage discussions later, it was unofficially decided that Mamimi could stay to come and go as she pleased. And quite honestly I was glad that she'd chosen to stay.

  


"Hold it up like this Ta-kun, then flip!" The dough in Mamimi's hands flew up and twirled in circles above her head, before it descended and she caught it with grace. She looked up to me and smiled. "Italian pizza bread." I smiled too. I smiled a lot more these days. Mamimi made me smile.

  
  


She'd been regaling me the past few days with her stories. Everything that had happened in the time she's been gone. The places she'd been, the things she'd learned, the pictures she took. But then again, what was most surprising about that, was she really hadn't shown me any pictures. Not one. But right now I didn't think to care. It wasn't all that important. Just hearing her voice was enough.

  
  


"Ta-kun, watch out!" I blinked. "Wha-" SPLAT! ...it took a moment to register what just happened. But once it did I realized I had pizza dough all over my face. I reached up my hands to wipe it off slowly only to find Mamimi and Kanti staring wide eyed. ...Awkward silence?

  
  


Well almost; until Mamimi burst out laughing. I glared with dough still covering the better part of my face. "Hey!" That just made her laugh harder. I tried to clean more off my face and discovered some more in my hair. This whole fiasco, I had a feeling, would be a long lived memory. 

  
  


Unfortunately for me, _very _long. Kanti just stared between the both of us and Mamimi continued to laugh. Getting most of the dough off, I tried to be mad or at least look it, but it was a futile attempt in all reality. Watching her laugh was just an absolute destroyer of my resolve to feel anything but glad. I had very few memories of her laughing; I mean _truly_ laughing. It was one of those blue moon moments.

"Naota-kun?" Snapping out of my thoughts I turned around as Mamimi's laughing subsided. My father was standing in the kitchen doorway with a bag. "Yes?" I was almost skeptical of who he was talking to, because at the moment he had just called _my_ name, but was obviously staring at Mamimi. 

  
  


He snapped his head. "Oh yes, Naota-kun I was wondering if you could run an errand for me?" Staring for a moment I blinked. "What kind?" I guess most people would call that disrespect; to ask what the job _was_ before accepting, but for heavens sake, this was _Kamon._

  
  


He shifted his foot to the right slightly and tilted his sunglasses more over his eyes. "Could you deliver this bread down town for me? It's just a little ways over the bridge." he lifted the bag in emphasis. Staring some more I raised a wary brow. "Since when do we _deliver_ bread?" My coughed lamely. "Naota, why do you ask so many questions of your poor father? Is it too much to ask that you do a simple job for me? Have I ever asked you so much?"

  
  


Now he was just getting weird. And this attitude he was putting on wasn't fooling me a bit; nor were the sunglasses, under which, he was still staring at Mamimi. I turned my head in fake naivete. "Sure, Mamimi wana come with?" I could almost hear my fathers face fall. I smirked inwardly. Mamimi nearly answered, still completely oblivious, before Kamon jumped in again.   


"No, no, no. Naota-kun, where are your manners? Saijima-san is our _guest_. She should stay _here_ and _relax_." My face dropped facing opposite to him. Could he even _fathom_ how obvious he constantly was being? "That's okay Nandaba-san, I'm pretty energetic." Glancing to Mamimi I noticed it must have dawned on her my fathers tactics, because her fake smile was strained.

  
  


"All the better to stick around;" I nearly choked on my own breath. Even Mamimi's eye's widened in horror. She really wasn't too much naïve like she had been. "And play a board game! I hear this new mortgage one is fantastic." He smiled cheekily, finishing his left off sentence. Mamimi was still very unconvinced. I turned back around. Kamon suddenly looked directly to me.

  
  


"Oh and Naota, the delivery is to Saijima residence. Wouldn't that be Saijima-san's parents?" No, it would be a pair of people _completely_ unrelated in any way, shape, or form. But then I realized how that statement must have affected Mamimi. I turned around; she was staring down blankly. Damn.

  
  


She blinked lightly and looked up with a fake but less forced smile on. It almost seemed real. "Hm, wow I think I think I am a little tired, I think I'll stay here this time, kay Ta-kun?" I nodded. Maybe I was the only one who could tell that her smiled was fake. She suddenly made a point to look at Kamon. "I'll go stay up in your room while you deliver it." 

  
  


My eye's widened a little less than my fathers. A warning; from Mamimi? "Alright," I said slightly dumbfounded. Mamimi walked out before I could leave and went up stairs; and I could knock my own father down for the way he was staring as she walked up them. 

  
  


I grabbed the bag from him forcefully stealing back his attention. "I'll be back within the hour." He never realized I saw right through him. "Of course." And he saw my dutiful timing as a challenge. 

  
  


~*~

  
  


Walking down the street had never been so…annoying. I was in no doubt that right now my father was trying to subtly seduce Mamimi, and she of course was having none of it. Depending on her mood, she was either ignoring him, refusing politely, or throwing lamps. 

  
  


So far this week it hadn't come to that. Kamon had tried this a few times before; and each time Mamimi would act more and more independent and knowing than the last. She always would strike me as so normal now. It was…odd. Every time we talked she seemed like the same old Mamimi. The one that I always knew. But every so often, when it wasn't just around me, she'd slip, and say something wise, or mature; Making her seem more grown up. Which maybe she might not want to be.

  
  


You could tell she assumed them as slips because she regarded them as so, and would cover it up with another word. A sentence. An act. The only thing I'd deducted from this was that she was hiding something. Something I really wanted to find out. But I guess I'll have to wait .

  
  


At that thought I stopped a moment to find myself at the bridge, which seemed like as good a time as any to stop and check the slip of directions Kamon had given me. "123 fake street…" ….yes. Definitely the lamest of all his tricks I'd fallen for. I shook my head in disbelief. There really was no order, service- FLMP.

  
  


I looked down to see the rock that had broken through the paper bag I'd been carrying. 

  
  


…OR bread, at all. Not one thing about this errand had any validity to it, and I'd gone all the way to the bridge before figuring that out. To go through all this, Kamon has evidently become more desperate than ever. I rolled my eyes. 

  
  


In the wake of my utter self-humiliation, I stared blankly from the point of which I stood. Off to the side of the road, backing up to the great body of water that divided this town, the remains of the abandoned Medical Mechanica plant growing old and becoming just another dead part of the aging scenery behind me…and that timeless soda machine, still over five feet to my left.

  
  


…Well, when in Rome…

  
  


I had around fifty-four cents in my pocket, which was about four penny's more than what was needed to buy a drink. It used to be a quarter, but they raised it about six months after the strange thing that happened ceased to occur. It was a renewal; something to make them feel more worthy. Like they had just as much culture and popularity as any _tourist_ town, to raise their vendors up another twenty-five cents.

  
  


I didn't really care, American vendors sold soda for fifty cents too. Tasuka told me that…before he stopped writing.

  
  


I dropped the broken bag roughly into the trash and rummaged around in my pocket. Finding the silver coins I stuffed them in one by one. Quarter, nickel, dime, 'nother nickel…until I'd put in fifty cents; then gazed lazily over the selection.

  
  


But someone pushed it for me. Lemonade. 

  
  


I barely blinked before I spun around, not taking the time to be shocked that I hadn't noticed anyone come up behind me, or seen anyone before on the long open road. I just turned and yelled, "Hey-!" But after I'd said it, was about when the shock really kicked in. Not from before, but from the sight of who stood before me, with a tanned arm extended from a light shirt, holding out my drink.

  
  


"Here's your soda, Taro-kun." The woman smiled. 

  
  


The only person who ever called me that: Haruko. And there were so many thoughts going through my head all at once, that I could only think of one thing.

  
  


I hate sour stuff.

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la, well I finally updated. A million apologies! I've been busy and grounded, (parents think computer is bad for my health) but let me know what you think! Oh and to everyone of the wonderful people that have reviewed and have yet to review, here is the soundtrack download link: 

Also i've just finished my website so go to my profile and visit if you'd like! It has my fanfiction, origonalfiction and fanart posted, music, and a guest book. that would love to be signed...hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge.

~tl snow

  
  



	4. Shocked Faces and Sleepy Stares

**Disclaimer:** ...don't own furi kuri....;.; it's so tragic lol

**Authors Notes:** Well its another chapter again. To clear up a question on chapter 3, the fifty cents America cents Naota was carrying, I have no justification for. I simply don''t know the money system in Japan, so unless someone can correct me, all I can do is apologize and hope that you can still bare to read a story with a mistake as such. So to everyone else who hasn''t abandoned this fic, on again on again jigity jig!

**"And Then I Met You"**  
chapter four  
Shocked Faces and Sleepy Stares

In a rotating moment I was staring blankly and hearing things with extreme detail again, like I''d suddenly become more aware of my surroundings. That seems to happen when you go into shock. 

I was still standing there with the same dead pan expression while the woman before me held out that dumb drink. So nonchalantly, like nothing had happened. It was definitely Haruko, she hadn''t changed a bit. Her hair was the same length and style, her eye''s that fluctuate dull yellow-green, and sporting the outfit she left in - she was unaged with a three year old smirk. 

And there were about a million different way''s I could react. So many things I could say or do to express exactly how I felt about her leaving, what I thought about her coming back and acting like she''d been gone three minutes not years, So many possibilities!

But as always, I never do what seems practical.

"You have dirt on your nose." I hadn''t noticed it really till I''d said it. She used her other hand, licking her four-finger and rubbed the bridge of her nose inexpressibly. She dropped her hand and gestured with the drink in the other. "Gona take it?" she asked mildly. I thought about making a flippant comment, But just swiped the drink after all and looked at her while my fingers clung to the cold beverage that I didn''t want to drink.

A very intense silence passed. "Haruko," She shifted with a little warm acknowledging tilt to her head. "Yep." It was less of a sarcastic tone. I lowered my gaze. "Where did you go?" I could feel her eye''s on my head. "To find what worlds were worth living for." 

I looked up. "I was looking for some things." She used to not clarify. I was a little surprised that I got an understandable answer at all - and I half expected her to whip out that bass guitar and start knocking me over the head. 

But one last thing bothered me. "Why did you come back?" For a moment she seemed caught of guard by the question, and looked at me strait and serious for once. "I wouldn''t leave forever without saying goodbye, Naota." 

Somehow that was an answer I didn''t expect and I just sat there staring quietly while she retained her seriousness that was eccentric for her, and then she cracked a smile. "So," I looked expectantly. "You want a ride or what? Cause I could always leave you here!" I gave her a distant look as I noticed the yellow vespa behind her, and against my idea''s to be stubborn I climbed on.

Surprisingly she handed me a helmet. "Off like old time''s, right?" I took it in bewilderment as she turned and revved the engine ahead. "Right." 

I''d nearly forgotten what it felt like to ride with her. It felt like, flying.

~*~

Coming to a sharp halt, we pulled in at the bakery some short manner of minutes later. Amazingly still alive, I stepped off the vespa dropping the helmet back on the seat and unveiling my electrically static hair. 

I looked back to Haruko as she turned around. It was a pictorial moment when she turned back to look at me. I more than a little expected her to have dropped me off and took off ridding, not to be seen again for another three years - but she was still standing there.

She was unpredictable, dangerous and rough on more than just the edges. But to make up, she was……real - and more of a reliable figure than some guardians that I know. And to sum it, I didn''t want her to go yet.

"Do you want to stay for a while?" She smirked. "Get right down to it don''t ya? Don''t beat around the bush." I blinked, and shrugged turning toward the shop. "Maybe I''ve grown up." She paused and followed. I knew she was making a skeptical face. "Maybe."

I kept walking. "Kamon will be glad to see you." She made a big show of stopping dead and I turned around when she scuffed her boots to make a noise. She was clutching her heart in mock horror. "That was cold, Naota! You insult me. Maybe I should just turn you into a mouse!"

Ah, the norm of the past. "Come on.." She flung her head into the air and reached back for her bag before walking forward. I watched her as she walked up acting high and mighty with her nose turned up and eyes closed. "Furi Kuri." She said. And it was like some kind of finality - A Suggestion that finished it all and proved her somehow right.

……were we arguing? I brushed it off and followed her in. 

As we stepped into the living room things were calmer than I ever remember them being. Kamon and Mamimi were playing checkers while Grandpa listened to his old records in the armchair and Miyu-miyu sat in Mamimi''s lap. Mamimi seemed to be engrossed in the cat but winning the game, and Kamon seemed awfully accomplished at the idea of commencing in some sort of activity with the opposite sex. (fact of her being less than half his age having NO intrusion what-so-ever.)

And then WE walked in. Like a hot glass hitting ice, we shattered the picture. Mamimi looked up and stared in blank shock, which caught the attention of Kamon who knocked the board and Grandpa who slammed the record to a halt causing a violent screech.

And then there was us, at the full attention of three shocked individuals, because it never occurred to me at all as I walked in, that _they_ hadn''t seen her in three years too. In a painful awkward silence, I wallowed in my idiocy. Thought Haruko seemed unaffected. 

"It''s so wonderful to see YOU all again TOO!" With ever present cynicism. I stood rigidly in about the same amount of shock that everyone else was in a moment earlier as my father recovered from his lapse. 

"Oh, Haruko-san forgive me! It''s such a surprise to see you!" My frame stiffened more as he jumped away from his previous victim up to the next prospect. "Oh how it''s been so lon-!" As he reached close range Haruko cut him off shooting her hand up. "Nah-uh." Kamon arched an eyebrow. "So-" "Nah-uh!" she gestured her hand forward as she shook her head. 

Putting it down slowly she offered, "One moment." And reached into her bag as the shock grew around the room - And then it spiked again as she pulled out her bass guitar. Holding it by her side she looked content and told us, "Commence." 

Hoping against the worst, and the stupidity of _some_, I watched the events unfold. Proving to the world that once again he had misplaced the better part of his brain, Kamon spoke. "It''s so wonderful to see-!" Before the end of his sentence Haruko wound back and swung, smacking Kamon right hard in the gut and jettisoning him into the back wall by the stairs.

As well as leaving the occupants of the room, dumbstruck. 

Unfazed, Haruko slipped the bass back into its case. Here for nearly two minutes before knocking the house hold owner unconscious……

Grandpa was the first to recover. "That''s _EXACTLY_ what we _need_ on our team! Haruhara-san, won''t you walk with me so we can discuss a nice contract or two?" Well he seemed impressed. Haruko shrugged. "If I get free pancakes." Grandpa nodded several times. "Sure, sure. Now lets discuss living terms and working hours……" always about baseball.

As they walked off I suddenly remembered Mamimi. I looked back to find her watching them too still holding the cat, but when I turned to her she looked at me. Her expression was dull but she was looking strait into my eye''s. My face became warm.

"She came back too." She offered. I blinked and nodded. Still not looking away she watched me in that dull face. "Are you happy?" I thought as my eye''s widened slightly. Was there a right answer she wanted from me?

"Yes." Her eye''s glazed out of focus and then back in. "That''s good. I''m glad you''re happy Naota." With that she stood up and walked around toward the hall without passing me. I almost called out to her, but didn''t for some reason as she passed Kamon and went down the hall to the guest room disappearing inside.

Just then, she had acted _so_ odd, it was nearly frightening. Was there something wrong? What did she think? Is she sick? A lot of options, so I chose the less complicated one to ease my mind. She must just be tired. 

And with that decided, I went upstairs to rest up for what would undoubtedly be an unorthodox day tomorrow.

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well I''m worried that I may have gone completely off topic or out of character with this chapter, so if anyone finds this chapter somehow wrong and not doing justice to FLCL than please let me know why. 

And for the soundtrack link, its in my profile so click on my pen name and scroll down to the notes in my bio about ''And Then I Met You''

Love much!

~tl snow


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